


Head Trauma

by The_Mouse_of_Anon



Category: DCU, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Multi, That's gonna leave a mark, bluepulse OT3 sappiness, but it's okay because Khaji can fix it, serious blunt-force trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 03:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6735175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Mouse_of_Anon/pseuds/The_Mouse_of_Anon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was just a routine mission-- stop the weapons-shipment, report to the League, and leave-- but when something unexpected happens Jaime is left unconscious and Khaji Da takes control. (Not a 'Jaime goes on mode' fic, I swear!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Head Trauma

**Author's Note:**

> A bluepulse OT3 fic. I hope you enjoy.

The loud crack was enough to make the team momentarily freeze, their eyes darting skyward to lock on Blue Beetle. For a moment he was spiraling toward the ground, his wings beating unbalanced and irregular. For that split second Impulse felt like his heart stopped. Almost as quickly as it happened he righted himself and flew straight at the meta who had thrown the giant chunk of concrete at his head to take him down quickly and efficiently.

Robin thought for a moment of ordering a tactical retreat, but they were _so close_ to completing the mission, and judging by the way Blue Beetle was making quick work of the situation he was fine. _‘…Finish the mission. Then check in as soon as possible.’_

As soon as they had secured the weapons-shipment Robin notified the League and ordered his team to fade back. The moment they had regrouped to wait for pickup from Nightwing, Tim turned to Jaime and spoke. “Are you okay? That sounded like a serious hit.”

All eyes turned to focus on Jaime. His head tilted to the side, but he didn’t armor-down. The look in his eyes was… off.

“Blue?” Bart asked as he darted over to his side.

Gold eyes glanced at Bart, inscrutable, but not hostile or warm. When he spoke it was all too clear that Jaime wasn’t the one speaking. “There is a problem,” he said _without_ Jaime’s accent, “The head trauma is serious. Jaime Reyes is currently unconscious.”

Bart’s eyes went wide as a quiet “ _Shit_ ,” escaped Tim. If the situation hadn’t already been unsettling, the fact that Tim had cursed would have earned some surprised looks from the others.

“…What the hell is even going on?” Cassie asked. It was obvious that she wasn’t the only one confused, and in fact it seemed like only Tim and Bart had any clue what was going on with Jaime.

“Blue? Kha- Is he okay?” Bart blurted out, just barely cutting himself off from saying the name.

Blue Beetle gave a thoughtful hum before answering, “Unknown. As stated, he is currently unconscious. I began repairing the damage shortly after it occurred. Repairs are continuing.”

Tim frowned. Ignoring Cassie’s earlier question he said, “What’s the extent of the trauma?”

“Multiple skull fractures. Broken jaw. Bruising of the brain. Multiple cracked teeth. Whiplash trauma to cervical spine,” was the blunt answer.

“Damn,” Tim hissed before tapping his communicator on. “Nightwing? My team needs pickup _NOW_. Blue Beetle is semi-incapacitated with serious trauma. Beetle 2 is currently in control and trying to manage the damage, but we need to get to base ASAP.”

“Beetle 2?” Cassie echoed.

“I think we’ll get an explanation when we get back to base,” Conner muttered to her in an effort to convince her to let it wait. She was like a bulldog with some things, if she didn’t get talked out of pursuing something soon enough she could be relentless.

“But-” she started.

“Later,” Conner insisted firmly. “Not in the field.”

Over the communicator Dick said, “Already on my way. How bad is it?”

Tim glanced at Blue Beetle before answering, “Bad. Beetle 1 is unconscious, and Beetle 2 is trying to manage the damage like I said. What’s your ETA?”

“Three minutes.”

“Blue Beetle, is that soon enough?” Tim asked.

What looked like third-eyelids flicked over his eyes for a moment as he considered. Bart’s hand slipped into his, a worried look on the speedster’s face. Blue Beetle looked at Bart, as if his focus was briefly sharpened before gently squeezing his hand in return. Turning his attention back to Tim he answered, “That will be adequate. More in-depth repairs may begin as soon as we are secure enough to not require my external awareness.”

“…What level of damage control are you doing at the moment?” Tim asked, his communications line to Dick still open.

“All breaks and fractures are currently stabilized via nanites— ‘splinting’ or ‘pinning’ is a reasonable equivalent. My primary focus is controlling the brain-bleed and directing the excess away.”

“And the risk of brain damage?” Tim demanded.

Bart’s hand tightened on Blue Beetle’s. “I am taking steps to prevent that. I will be more effective when my external focus is no longer required.”

“You got that Nightwing?”

“Loud and clear. I’ve already sent the alert ahead so the med bay will be ready for him.”

***

The ride was a tense one. As soon as Blue Beetle had gotten on the ship he’d made a bee-line for one of the chairs and sat down, closing his eyes almost immediately. Bart sat by his side, holding onto his hand— clearly wanting to be able to do more for Jaime, but unable to. Within minutes it was as if he was completely deaf and blind to the world around him.

The second Nightwing turned the ship around, Cassie said, “Okay, _now_ would someone care to explain what the hell is going on with Blue Beetle?”

“I second that,” Raquel said, her arms crossed while she leaned against a wall, keeping an eye on Jaime and Bart. She knew what Jaime had been like on mode, had been part of the team to catch him in order to get him off mode, and the idea of Jaime _not_ being in control of himself was an unsettling one. “Last I checked Jaime not being in control of himself was thanks to the Reach Negotiator.”

“Thesituation _isn’tlikethatthistime_ ,” Bart snapped, instantly going on the defensive.

Tim gave a sigh and just barely held back from pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Bart, cool it. Everyone else, calm down. The fact of the matter is that Blue Beetle isn’t a _single_ hero. They’re a partnership. Jaime is Beetle 1. The scarab— who yes, _is_ a person and not just a source of Jaime’s Reach tech and armor— is Beetle 2.”

An annoyed scoff erupted from Cassie as she put her hands on her hips. “So, what? You Bats knew and weren’t going to _tell_ anybody?! I get why Jaime might not have decided to tell, but we’re a team! I think we deserved to know that the bug was part of the team!”

“It wasn’t my place, _or_ Dick’s, to tell,” Tim answered bluntly.

“And Babs?” Raquel asked with a raised eyebrow directed at said Bat.

Babs shrank back a bit, her cape falling forward over her shoulders to obscure her body. “…It wasn’t my place either. It was a choice that should have been left up to Jaime and the scarab.”

“Great,” Cassie growled, “So we’ve had a bug— whose motivations we don’t even know— on the team this entire time and we-”

“His _name_ is Khaji Da.” Bart’s voice was cold with barely repressed anger as he glared at Cassie.

Cassie went silent for a moment or two before she blurted out, “You _knew_?!”

“Of _course_ I knew! How could I _not_ know when I’ve been going out with them for over a _year_ now?!” Bart snapped. Silence met that statement and Tim’s eyebrows climbed upward.

Babs sidled over to Tim and muttered, “Did you know…?”

“No, did you?” he whispered back.

“No.”

Pushing herself away from the wall and making a ‘T’ with her hands, Raquel said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa— hold up! ‘ _Them_ ’? As in _both_ of them? As in you been dating Jaime _and_ Khaj-whatever-his-name-is? At the same _time_?”

“No, I mean that I’ve been hanging around Jaime and ignoring Khaji Da as a random inconvenience— _ofcourseI’vebeendatingbothofthem!_ It’s not exactly like Khaji Da can just pick up and wander off! And what kind of ass would I be if I did the whole ‘Oh, you’re sharing my boyfriend’s body and probably will be for life, but I want nothing to do with you even when you like me and I think you’re hot’? _Really_?”

“You think he’s… what?” Cassie asked in genuine confusion while Conner facepalmed in the background.

Blue Beetle stirred but didn’t open his eyes, the irritation dripping from his tone as he spoke. “If you do not mind, I would prefer relative _silence_. Your dispute is distracting, and I would prefer to focus on repairs to Jaime Reyes. If you care to pursue this conversation at base, you are welcome to _away from me_. Recommendation: _shut up_.”

Tim tried not to smile in amusement as he said, “You heard him. Let’s give him the quiet he needs.” Judging by the fact that Babs was the only one to give him a ‘Tim, _really_?’ look, he was for the most part successful in keeping his amusement to himself.

***

Jaime and Khaji Da remained fully armored as they arrived at the Justice League base’s med bay, the armor only being selectively drawn back from those areas needed for the medical tech to monitor Jaime’s status. One of the League doctors briefly suggested that he armor down only to be given a look of disdain from Khaji Da and the comment, “As long as it is stabilizing my focus on repairing the damage done to Jaime Reyes, I will not. I am interconnected with the majority of his body and nervous system. _I_ will notify _you_ if I feel I am in need of aid.” Much though the thought rankled against the doctors’ level of knowledge, all of them had to admit that no one knew Jaime’s body better than Khaji Da and they were all relegated to standby. 

To almost all external appearances he went borderline-comatose after that. Only the medical tech keeping track of Jaime’s status made it clear as to the level of work that Khaji Da was engaged in. Days passed. Bart tried to stay by their side, but eventually he was hauled away by Barry or one of the others every now and then to make sure that he at least ate. Occasionally he fell asleep sitting up, leaning against the bed Jaime and Khaji Da were on, his hand firmly gripping theirs.

On the sixth day Jaime finally opened his eyes and the armor started to recede. A firm [ _Do not scare us like that again Jaime Reyes,_ ] rang through his head before a thoroughly exhausted Khaji Da allowed sleep to claim him.

Jaime blearily looked to his hand to find that a passed-out Bart had a firm grip. For a moment he went to speak, but his dry throat wouldn’t let him. Licking his lips he tried again. “Bart?” he croaked, “Ése? Are you awake?”

Bart jerked awake, a sleepy “Mmnuh?” escaping him.

“Hey, _buenos dias cariño_. What did I miss?”

Bart was suddenly _completely_ awake. “Jaime?” he asked almost not believing that he was seeing Jaime’s unarmored face, that he was seeing Jaime awake and speaking, even if he had some nasty bruising on the left side.

“It’s me,” he answered with a shaky smile, wincing from the slight ache in the left side of his head.

Bart nearly threw himself at Jaime, his words streaming out so rapidly it was almost to the point of being unintelligible. “Youhavenoideahowworriedweallwere—howworried _I_ was—everybodythoughtyouweregoingtodie, Ithoughtyouweregoingtodie, everythingwassomodedandIthoughtKhajiDaandIweregoingtoloseyou, andKhajiDaspent _sixdays_ workingonyoutomakesureyouwereokay, andIblabbedandeveryonefoundoutaboutKhajiDabecauseIwassoscaredforyou, butKhajiDadidn’tevencarehewasjustworkingonyounon-stopandIthoughtthatifhewashavingthathardatimethatwemightreallyloseyouandI-”

Jaime hugged him close and said, “It’s okay. I’m okay. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

Bart buried his face in Jaime’s chest as he trembled, a broken near-sob escaping him. For a moment or two they remained like that, with Bart in Jaime’s arms and Jaime gently rubbing circles on Bart’s back soothingly. When Bart finally collected himself enough to feel that he wasn’t going to immediately start sobbing if he spoke, he mumbled, “Don’t ever do that again. Don’t ever get hit like that again, okay? It wasn’t crash. I haven’t felt that moded in a long time, and I don’t ever want to feel that moded again. Is Khaji Da awake?”

“No, he passed out. Six days without sleep will do that.”

Bart looked up to look Jaime in the eye and said, “As soon as that jerk wakes up, I’m kissing him.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jaime smiled, just before Bart leaned forward to kiss him. Jaime had a feeling that with as much love as Bart was pouring into kissing him, whenever Khaji Da woke up Bart would take the poor scarab’s breath away. _‘He won’t know what hit him…’_

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to hell for that pun.


End file.
